dzogchungpa wrote:I'm curious about this Uncommon White Tara Empowerment. She seems to give it quite often. Does anyone here know anything about it?

It's an Annutarayoga tantra White Tara that may come from Jamyang Khyentse Wango. This is the RigaWiki entry. Generally Sakayapas don't talk about the details of higher practices and Khenpo Kalsang said next to nothing about it. So it's a kind of secret practice to some extent although HE Jetsun Kusho-la gives it often.

"Even if you practice only for an hour a day with faith and inspiration, good qualities will steadily increase. Regular practice makes it easy to transform your mind. From seeing only relative truth, you will eventually reach a profound certainty in the meaning of absolute truth."Kyabje Dilgo Khyentse Rinpoche.

dzogchungpa wrote:I'm curious about this Uncommon White Tara Empowerment. She seems to give it quite often. Does anyone here know anything about it?

It's an Annutarayoga tantra White Tara that may come from Jamyang Khyentse Wango. This is the RigaWiki entry. Generally Sakayapas don't talk about the details of higher practices and Khenpo Kalsang said next to nothing about it. So it's a kind of secret practice to some extent although HE Jetsun Kusho-la gives it often.

dzogchungpa wrote:I'm curious about this Uncommon White Tara Empowerment. She seems to give it quite often. Does anyone here know anything about it?

It's an Annutarayoga tantra White Tara that may come from Jamyang Khyentse Wango. This is the RigaWiki entry. Generally Sakayapas don't talk about the details of higher practices and Khenpo Kalsang said next to nothing about it. So it's a kind of secret practice to some extent although HE Jetsun Kusho-la gives it often.

"Even if you practice only for an hour a day with faith and inspiration, good qualities will steadily increase. Regular practice makes it easy to transform your mind. From seeing only relative truth, you will eventually reach a profound certainty in the meaning of absolute truth."Kyabje Dilgo Khyentse Rinpoche.

dzogchungpa wrote:I'm curious about this Uncommon White Tara Empowerment. She seems to give it quite often. Does anyone here know anything about it?

It's an Annutarayoga tantra White Tara that may come from Jamyang Khyentse Wango. This is the RigaWiki entry. Generally Sakayapas don't talk about the details of higher practices and Khenpo Kalsang said next to nothing about it. So it's a kind of secret practice to some extent although HE Jetsun Kusho-la gives it often.

Kirt

It is not really that secret at all.

The origin of the practice is Bari Lotsawa, passed through the Kagyu lineage (Gampopa apparently extended his life with this practice) until it rejoined Sakya during the period of Tsarchen Losal Gyatso. It was one of Khyentse Wangpo's very important practices and he supposedly possessed a thangka of White Tara that could speak.

It is a very wonderful practice, but it is quite complicated in terms of the visualization. Khyentse Wangpo composed a teaching manual on it, that is spread out over one week or so.

The essential visualization of the protection cakra is combined into Dzogchen Community Tara practice. So receiving this initiation and practice is a good support for the DC practice.

I'm curious, and perhaps Malcolm or Kirtu could shed some light on this, but is the Uncommon White Tara given by Jetsun Kusho la the same as the White Tara initiation that HE Dagmo Kusho Sakya in Seattle gives from time to time? Or are there multiple White Taras in Sakya lineage?

Thank you so much for helping a Kagyupa understand the crafty ways of the Sakya.

namoh wrote:I'm curious, and perhaps Malcolm or Kirtu could shed some light on this, but is the Uncommon White Tara given by Jetsun Kusho la the same as the White Tara initiation that HE Dagmo Kusho Sakya in Seattle gives from time to time?

I don't know because I've never been able to get out there. Unfortunately my only connection there is with HH Dagchen Rinpoche whose Padmasambhava empowerment I was fortunate enough to take in Vancouver in August, 2001.

Or are there multiple White Taras in Sakya lineage?

Yes, there are. The one Jetsun Kusho-la is giving is from Khyentse Wangpo but he for sure held more than one White Tara lineage.

She is also giving Naro Kachod Vajrayogini. This is the Vajrayogini practice from Naropa though the Phamting Brothers and is somewhat different from the Vajrayogini/Vajravarahi normally found in Kagyu.

"Even if you practice only for an hour a day with faith and inspiration, good qualities will steadily increase. Regular practice makes it easy to transform your mind. From seeing only relative truth, you will eventually reach a profound certainty in the meaning of absolute truth."Kyabje Dilgo Khyentse Rinpoche.

namoh wrote:I'm curious, and perhaps Malcolm or Kirtu could shed some light on this, but is the Uncommon White Tara given by Jetsun Kusho la the same as the White Tara initiation that HE Dagmo Kusho Sakya in Seattle gives from time to time?

"All the sublime teachings, so profound--to throw away one and then grab yet another will not bear even a single fruit. Persevere, therefore, in simply one."--Dudjom Rinpoche, "Nectar for the Hearts of Fortunate Disciples. Song No. 8"

Please note that due to the high level tantra of the Uncommon White Tara empowerment, we have been notified that all participants need to have received a major, two day empowerment in any of the four Tibetan Buddhist traditions. If you have questions concerning this prerequisite, please contact Sakya Dechen Ling.

Also, I have just been informed that it will take place at Ewam Choden.

The whole purpose of Buddhism is to have fun, isn't it? - Dzongsar Jamyang Khyentse Rinpoche